Life's Not Always What We Expect
by Copper's Mama
Summary: Sam/Andy fic. An old flame stumbles into Sam's life, upsetting him. Andy reaches out to him. Please read and review! Rating changed for language.
1. Chapter 1

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: Alas, I still do not own Rookie Blue. _

_..._

_A/N: Well, this one should be more Sam-oriented, but will probably meld Andy and Sam's perspectives. _

_The idea is basically that an old flame comes into Sam's life, stirring up bad feelings that he wanted to forget. Andy tries to comfort him, but he gets upset with her. Alright ... any more, and I'll give it all away! _

_I plan on doing a couple chapters for this one, so it should definitely be long than most of my fics. _

_Side-note: Had about a five minute "hehe-squeal" session after I checked out "Sam Swarek's" bio on ABC dot com ... specifically the part where it says his secret is "A growing passion for his rookie, Andy McNally." _

_I hope you guys like this one, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Andy had been paired with Sam for the last week and a half, learning under his surprisingly impressive tutelage. Though they'd butted heads initially, he'd proved to be a competent, resourceful, and deceptively caring mentor. Andy knew she had misjudged him when they'd first met - aside from the obvious - and was grateful for the chance to get to see him in a new light.

On one particularly slow day, Sam was explaining the importance of cleaning your gun at the end of every shift to Andy, when his cell phone rang. He gave the phone to Andy, telling her to answer it since he was driving.

"Hello?" she answered, waiting for the other person to speak.

"Is this the number for Samuel Swarek?" an official sounding voice wondered.

'_Samuel?'_ Andy mouthed, causing him to roll his eyes. "Uh, yes," she spoke into the phone. "But _Samuel _is preoccupied right now. Would you like me to relay a message?" She didn't miss the glare that Sam sent her way at the use of his full name.

"Yes, thank you. I'm calling from St. Michael's hospital. I got his number off a patient's emergency contact card," the nurse explained. "Could you tell him that his wife has been admitted? He can get her information at the front desk when he comes in."

Andy blinked glancing over at Sam, who looked back at her with a confused expression on his face. "Um, yeah, I'll let him know. Thank you." She hung up the phone, pursing her lips before handing it back. She wasn't exactly sure why she was upset about that discovery, but now wasn't the time.

"Well, what was it?" Sam wondered, slipping the phone back into its cover.

Andy inhaled, forcing a neutral expression onto her face. "Your wife is at St. Michael's," she relayed, glancing at him with steady eyes. "The nurse wouldn't tell me why, but they want you to come in."

Sam stared straight ahead at the road in front of him, his muscles tensed, and his eyes unblinking.

Andy watched his reaction, wondering why he'd never mentioned before that he was married. Especially after ... _I mean, it's not as though we actually kissed, but it was pretty close. And if I hadn't stopped it, who knows what might have happened?_ "So, do you want to go back to the station? I mean, I'm sure they can pair me up with someone else so you can take the rest of the day off," she suggested.

Sam clenched his jaw, heading down the nearest alleyway so that he could turn around.

After a while, Andy noticed that they were heading towards the hospital.

"Really, if you want to be alone right now, I don't mind being reassigned," Andy assured him. Mostly because, for some reason, she didn't want to have to meet the woman that he had chosen to marry. "I'm sure you'll be at the hospital for -"

"No, I won't," Sam interrupted. "I'll be in and out."

Andy furrowed her brow in confusion. "Okay ... what aren't you telling me?"

He flickered his eyes in her direction briefly, the vein that ran along his neck bulging for a moment. "Nothing that's any of your business."

Andy raised her eyebrows at that, but didn't say anything. Clearly the news had upset him, and though she had several questions she intended to ask him, she knew that right then wasn't the time.

...

They arrived at the hospital several minutes later, making their way out of the car and into the building. Andy expected to be told to wait in the car, but then remembered one thing that she'd learned about Sam - he never left his rookie alone. Apparently not even when there was a 'family' emergency.

The two of them shuffled through the crowd - made easier by their police uniforms - finally making it up to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me?" Sam spoke, waiting for one of the two nurses behind the large desk to respond.

The younger girl looked up. "Good afternoon, officer," she greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"A Cindy Swarek was brought in here sometime within the last hour," Sam told her. "One of the nurses called me to come in."

She typed in the information into the computer, waiting a second for the responding data to come up. After a moment she nodded. "And your name is?"

"Sam Swarek," he replied.

The nurse nodded. "Okay, well your wife was brought in after she collapsed in a subway station. She sustained minor injuries, but we're still trying to ascertain the cause of the collapse."

Sam clenched his jaw, nodding his head slowly. "Can you give me her room number?"

The nurse gave him the number and directions, leaving the two officers to seek out the room.

Andy walked just behind Sam as he moved quickly down the hall, sensing that something was definitely off. She wanted to ask, but knew that he would only tell her to shut up if she did.

Once they reached the room, Sam paused for a moment, turning towards Andy. "Wait here," he told her, and she quickly nodded her head yes.

He stepped into the room, making his way to her bed. She looked about the same as the last time he'd seen her - same blonde hair, same make-up, same worn appearance. Sam sighed, moving into her line of sight.

"Sammy?" she asked, looking up at him with surprise in her eyes. "Is that you?" Her voice was groggy, and her eyes couldn't remain focused on him for very long.

"I won't be here long, Cindy," he informed her. "Where is it?"

She stared at him with a blank expression on her face. "What do you mean? I haven't seen you in over a year, Sammy. Don't you even have a kiss for your wife?"

His eyes bore heavily into hers, searing through her addled demeanor. "Where. Is. It?" he questioned once more.

She sighed, seeing that he wasn't budging. "I don't have any," she tried.

Sam found her purse on the table beside her bed, making a beeline for it.

Cindy scoffed, her eyes rolling up to the back of her head for a moment, before she was able to focus on him again. "There's nothing in there. Now, can you just sign me out of here and take me home?"

Sam picked the purse up, moving back to the foot of the hospital bed to dump the contents of the purse onto the space by her feet.

Cindy twitched ever so slightly, but made no other move to stop him.

Sam flicked various objects aside, eyeing everything that had fallen out of the bag.

"See, I told you, Sammy. I don't have anything. It was just a bad headache," she told him. "I'll be fine once I get some rest, but you know how much I hate hospitals. Please, just take me home?"

He looked up at her, regarding her for a moment before he stuck his hands back into the purse and ripped the lining in half.

"What are you doing!" she cried out, trying to sit up, but not having the strength to reach for the bag. A thin package fell out, standing out against all the other items on the bed.

Sam clenched his jaw tightly, glaring back up at her. He tossed the purse on the floor, picking the package up off the bed. "Looks like we won't have to wait for the blood work to get back to find out what crap you're on," he told her. "I am sick of this, Cindy. I'm taking your drugs, and I want my name off your emergency contact list. If I see you again, it'll be to arrest you."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he turned and left before she could utter so much as a word.

Sam strode past Andy, gripping the 'evidence' in his hand. "Let's go," he told her, walking back to the nurses' station. "Excuse me," he said to the younger nurse again. "Can you tell me which doctor is dealing with Cindy Swarek?"

She checked one of the charts on the desk, replying, "Doctor Smithson. Would you like me to page him for you?"

"Yes," Sam answered shortly.

Andy waited patiently beside him, feeling very awkward. She'd heard the conversation - if it could be called that - from her spot by the door. Now, she didn't know what to think.

Several minutes later, the doctor arrived at the station. "You're Mr Swarek?" he questioned, looking at Sam, and then Andy.

"Yes," he answered. "I just wanted to inform you that I found these drugs in Cindy's purse." He held them up for the doctor to see. "She's been on and off heroin for at least the last three years, but almost never takes it alone, always adds something to the mix. I can provide you with a sample from this for testing, but I'll need to take the rest in for evidence. Any problems with that?"

The doctor stared at him for a moment before he shook his head. "I guess not. We'll run some tests, and keep her under observation. Although I must say, I can't believe we didn't see it."

Sam shook his head. "She's good at hiding it, trust me."

The doctor turned to the nurses that were watching the scene before them with shock. "Olivia, would you grab a collection kit out of that drawer?"

The younger nurse nodded, retrieving the bag for him.

Sam watched as he took a sample of the drugs, closing and marking the container.

"Do you need anything else from us, officer?" the doctor asked.

Sam shook his head. "No, I think we're good here." He was about to walk away when the doctor called him back.

"Just so I'm understanding this ... you're aware of your wife's drug addiction? Has she been in counseling, rehab, anything?"

Sam sighed, looking at the doctor for a moment before he responded, "That emergency contact card is a little out of date, doc." He didn't give anything more for an answer, just turned and walked back out of the hospital.

Andy followed, wondering where to begin - _if_ she should begin. She was silent as he started the car, pulled out of the hospital parking area, and made his way back to their section, calling in to report their return to duty.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "So, I'm just gonna go out on a limb here, and guess ... ex-wife?"

...

_End of chapter one. _

_Alright, what do you guys think so far? Like it, hate it? _

_I'm writing Sam a bit more angry in this fic, but it will all work out, I think. _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	2. Chapter 2

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Two. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Thanks for the great reviews so far, guys. You rock! _

_Alrighty, here's chapter two. _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Sam ignored her question, driving on in silence.

Andy wanted to press the issue, but didn't want to press her _luck_.

"Sir," she tried, keeping her voice formal and professional, "if there's anything that you wanted to talk about, I'm -"

"McNally, I'm fine," he informed her. "I don't need a pep talk, I don't need to cry on your shoulder. It is what it is, now why don't we forget about it and move on?" he suggested.

Andy sighed, sitting back in her seat. _That's not exactly a healthy stance on the situation, but it is his life ..._

They drove to the station, where Sam deposited the evidence that he had confiscated. The man at the desk by the evidence locker greeted them, talking to Sam in particular.

"Hey, look who's back in uniform!" he noted with a grin.

Sam allowed a small smirk to grace his features, though Andy could tell that it was mostly forced. "Yeah, I'm living the dream alright."

Bill, the evidence guard, grinned. "So, you got something for me?"

Sam nodded, sliding the package onto the desk. "Pulled this off a junkie down at St. Michael's," he relayed, glancing at Andy before continuing. "Didn't get the name of the perp, though. Took off before the hospital could confirm the identity."

"Ah, damn junkies," Bill commented, signing the evidence in. "God, that's gotta be frustrating, man."

Sam nodded, pursing his lips.

"I mean, that's gotta be at least five different times since I've been working here, that you've had to come turn in some drugs, 'cause some damn junkie chickened out and took off," Bill continued on his rant. "Man, I don't know how you do it."

Sam refused to look in Andy's direction. "Yeah, well ... that's the job." He signed the required paperwork, handed over the evidence, and bid a quick farewell to Bill.

They walked out of the evidence locker and back out to the car, resuming their shift.

Once they were inside the car, Andy turned towards him. "You haven't brought her in? Ever?"

Sam sighed, gripping the steering wheel with his hands. "I'm not discussing this with you, McNally."

"I'm just trying to understand what -"

He slammed his hands on the wheel, turning his head to glare at her. "Stop trying to," he ordered. "There is nothing for you to _understand,_ so just drop it!"

Andy opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it in the end. She didn't want to upset him anymore than he already was.

...

Andy sat with her friends at the Black Penny that night, thinking over the events of the day. She couldn't get Sam's wife off of her mind, but wasn't sure what to do about it. She saw a couple of the detectives from 15th sitting at the bar, her gaze focusing on Detective Barber in particular. She knew that they were close, and figured that if anyone would know what was going on, it would be him.

Andy excused herself, making her way over to the bar. She pulled Jerry away from the group, leading him to the other side of the bar.

"What is it, McNally?" he wondered, cradling his drink in one hand.

"Look, I don't really know who else to ask about this," she began.

"Is it work-related?"

Andy sighed. "Sort of."

Jerry eyed her curiously.

"It's about ... well, do you know about Cindy Swarek?" she asked.

He stared at her for a long moment before he turned, placing his drink on the bar. "She came back?" he asked, his hands sliding up onto his hips.

Andy nodded slowly. "We got a call to go to St. Michael's, she'd been admitted there. Sam took some drugs off of her and turned them in."

Jerry looked around before asking, "Did he turn her in?"

After a second, Andy shook her head.

Jerry sighed. "He never does ..."

"What can you tell me about her?" Andy implored, needing more information.

"Look, this isn't really my place -"

"Please? I'm just trying to help, but he won't let me in," she told him. "Just ... anything that you could tell me would really help me to help him."

Jerry sighed, thinking over his friend's sordid relationship with the woman in question. "Okay ... but it's not exactly a short story."

...

She made her way to his apartment, rehearsing what she was going to say to him. He was always telling her to trust her instincts, and right now, her instincts were telling her that he needed to talk to someone, even if he couldn't say it.

She stood outside the door to his apartment building for a few minutes before she finally buzzed his number. She waited for a minute before he responded.

"What?" he drawled into the voice-box, making Andy realize that he was probably drunk.

"Um, it's me," Andy spoke.

There was a short pause, and then Sam's voice came through again. "What do you want, McNally?"

"I'd rather talk inside," she began. "Can you buzz me in?"

She waited, hoping that he would, but then he spoke again.

"Go home, McNally."

She tried a couple more times to get him to respond, but he'd apparently walked away from the speaker. Andy thought about pushing the buzzer until he came outside, but figured he'd only come out to yell at her, so she tossed out that plan.

She was about to head home, planning on talking to him during their shift the next day, when an older man came out through the door. "Oh, thanks," she said, grabbing the door.

"Do you live here?" he wondered, not recognizing her.

"No, but my, uh ... boyfriend does," she lied. "I'm supposed to pick up his mail while he's gone, but I forgot to bring the key."

He continued to eye her, making Andy nervous. "What's his name?" he wondered, knowing most of the residents on a first-name basis.

"Sam," she said, deciding that she could just tell Sam that she'd had to lie her way. "Sam Swarek."

"Ah," the man nodded. "I didn't know he was away."

"Just for a couple days," Andy told him, antsy to get up to the apartment. "He had a ... family emergency."

"I see," the man replied. "Well, I won't keep you, then. But next time, don't forget your keys."

Andy nodded her head. "Don't worry, I won't." Once she got into the apartment, she made her way up the stairs, having gotten his apartment number off the list outside the apartment. Andy took a breath as she stood outside the door, hoping that it went well. Carefully raising her hand, she knocked on the door.

A groan resounded from inside the apartment, and a few seconds later the door was opened. Sam stared down at her. "How the hell did you get in here?" he wanted to know.

Andy shrugged. "One of the tenants let me in."

He clenched his jaw. "Well, I'll have to have a talk with them about that."

She sighed, fidgeting with her hands. "Look, can I just come in so we can talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about, McNally," he informed her. "Just go."

She put her hand on the door, trying to discourage him from shutting her out. "Look, I know, okay?"

"Know what?" he wondered, annoyed.

Andy looked at him pointedly. "I _know_. Everything."

Sam's hand tightened on the door, considering slamming it shut. He stared down into her eyes, wondering why she cared so damn much.

...

_End of chapter two. _

_Well, what did you guys think of that one? Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	3. Chapter 3

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Three. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, guys. You make my day, everyday! _

_Alright, here's chapter three. _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

They stood in the doorway, him on one side, her on the other, just staring at each other. Andy thought that he might just slam the door in her face and leave it at that, but another door opened down the hall, and he motioned for her to step inside.

Andy followed him in, hearing him close the door behind her.

"So, what exactly is it that you _think_ you know?" he asked her, leaning against the closed door.

Andy sighed, tucking her thumbs into her back pockets. "I know that you got married when you were young ... twenty-two. I know that at first, she just drank a lot, but then she started turning to the harder stuff. When you found out about it, you checked her into rehab, but she ditched. You found her on the streets, brought her home, and after a week managed to convince her to go back. What you didn't know until later, was that in the week that she was home, she cleaned out your bank account. She ditched rehab the day after you brought her in the second time, and probably used your money to support her drug habit." Andy took a breath, trying not to look at his facial response. She didn't want to lose her nerve. "I know that this went on for over a year, before you finally petitioned for divorce. She didn't show up for the first hearing, so you enlisted Detective Barber's help in tracking her down, and made her come to the second hearing. You were officially divorced when you were twenty-five, but you've still spent the last five years dealing with her drug problems. Today was not the first time that you've found her either in possession of drugs, or incapacitated by them, but despite that, you've never brought her in. I know that you called in an anonymous tip for a drug den you knew she was staying in, and about fifteen people - including her - were arrested. She spent a couple months in jail, but once she was out, she went right back on the streets. I know that you accepted a position with the drug squad, because you hoped that it would lead you to her dealers, and put them behind bars. I know that you probably think that Anton Hill distracted you from that, but the reality is, even if you had busted her dealers, she would have just found new ones."

She pursed her lips once she was finished, toying with the fabric of her jeans while she waited for him to respond. She just wanted him to know that he didn't have to keep anything from her. She didn't think any less of him ... if anything, she her opinion of him had changed for the better.

"Well, I guess there's nothing left to say, is there?" he finally spoke, pushing off from the door with his arms across his chest. "I mean, since you've got it all figured out, what's the point? Congratulations, McNally."

She tilted her head, sighing. "Look, I'm just trying to -"

"Stop trying!" Sam shouted, stepping close to her. "It's none of your business!"

He was right. She knew that he was right, but it hadn't stopped her. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm just trying to help."

"I never asked for your help," he told her in a deadly calm voice, not stepping away. He was barely two inches away from her, glaring into her eyes with an intense heat that shook her to her core.

"You don't have to ask," she spoke in a quite, near-whispered voice.

Silence rang out between them for a moment, and they just stood staring at each other for a moment. He was still upset, but Andy could see the anger slowly slipping away from his face, only to be replaced by something else. Something she wasn't sure she wanted to name. His tongue poked out to wet his lips as he leered down at her, making her swallow the saliva that had built up in her mouth.

Her hands clenched behind her, her eyelashes blinking briefly.

Sam inhaled as he took a step towards her, but at the last minute seemed to change his mind. He stepped past her, exhaling as he went. "Look, I get that your _heart_ was in the right place here, McNally, but I can handle things on my own. If I need something from you ... I'll let you know."

Andy nodded, grateful that he wasn't going to yell at her. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd thought it was a good idea to come over here that night, but it seemed as though her intentions were misplaced. She might have to rethink her strategies. "Well ... I guess I should head home."

He nodded, stepping back around her towards the door. Before she walked through, he asked, "How did you get here?"

She shrugged. "I walked."

"That's over a dozen blocks," Sam commented.

Andy nodded her head. "I'll be fine," she assured him.

Sam shook his head, grabbing his jacket and keys. "I'll drive you home."

Andy thought about declining, but considering that she'd pissed him off just minutes before, she decided to count her blessings and be happy that he was still talking to her.

...

The chatter from the radio was the only active sound inside the car, the two parties inside remaining deathly quiet.

When they finally arrived in front of her apartment, Andy paused before getting out. "I'm, uh ... sorry about tonight. I should have just left it alone."

Sam nodded his head with a dry chuckle. "Yeah, you should have."

"Don't suppose we could _disregard_ this, could we?" she wondered, inadvertently drawing her mind back to that night in the parking lot.

Sam worried his lips together before glancing over at her. "Look, I'm not gonna bust your chops for it, McNally. Clearly it wouldn't do any good. Just, next time? Respect my privacy."

Andy nodded. "Done."

He sighed, his fingers strumming on the wheel before closing over it. "Besides, you weren't wrong."

Andy blinked in surprise.

"Everything you said was right," he admitted. "I probably should have arrested her, but I just ... she was my wife."

Andy looked down at her hands. "Do you still ...?"

"Love her?" Sam finished for her.

Andy nodded her head slowly, still not looking at him.

Sam shook his head. "No. Not for a long time. But that doesn't mean I want to be the one to send her to jail. I just kept hoping that she'd turn her life around, go back home to her parents or something ... but she hasn't."

Andy shrugged her shoulders, glancing out the front window of the car. "You never know. She might still."

He chuckled once more. "I sincerely doubt it."

Andy chewed on her bottom lip, meeting his eyes briefly before she turned her head out her window. "Well, I should probably get going. Thanks for driving me home."

Sam nodded. "Don't mention it. Though, I do have one request."

Andy left her hand on the door handle, waiting.

"Next time you wanna break into my apartment building, call me first," he suggested.

Andy smiled, nodding her head. "Okay."

...

A couple days later, Andy was working the desk at the division. She wasn't being punished, apparently it was just her turn on the rotation. She tapped her fingers on the desk, feeling more than a little bored. Her mind strayed to Sam, who had been assigned to ride with Chris for the day.

He'd stayed true to his word, and hadn't punished her for her pushing her way into his business ... but he was still different around her.

Andy wished that she could do something to fix things between them.

Halfway through her shift, a woman came into the division, glancing around before spotting Andy at the desk. She wore a long, beige t-shirt, loose khaki pants, and sneakers, with a large, black purse thrown over her shoulder.

"Excuse me?" she spoke, making her way over to the desk.

"Yes?" Andy replied, sitting up straighter. She wondered if she was coming to report a crime ... that would at least be interesting.

"I'm looking for an officer who works here, I was wondering if you could point me in his direction?"

Andy nodded, feeling more than a little disappointed. "Sure. What's the officer's name?"

The blonde-haired woman smiled evenly. "Sam Swarek."

Andy opened her mouth to tell her that Sam was out on the streets, but a nagging feeling held her back. "Um, can I ask your name?"

"Cindy," she replied. "Cindy Swarek. I'm his wife."

...

_End of chapter three. _

_Well, what did you guys think of that one. Like it, hate it? _

_I didn't want to leave Sam angry and Andy for TOO long, but I wanted the scene where he yells at her to "quit trying". _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	4. Chapter 4

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Four. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews on ALL of my stories so far! You guys are amazing! _

_Hehe, I know, I was a bit evil with that cliffy, but it will all work out in the end, trust me. Honestly ... I don't do tragedies, or disappointment fics. The characters that I borrow always get together in the end. _

_Alrightly, without giving TOO much away, here's the next chapter. _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

For a moment, Andy didn't know what to say. She wanted to say several things at once, but he found that her voice just wouldn't cooperate. It was maddening, frustrating, confusing ... and thankful. If she'd spoken with her heart instead of her mind, she might have said something that she would regret.

"Um, well, if you just want to take a seat over there, I'll see if I can reach him for you," she finally spoke.

The woman nodded, chewing on her lip and adjusting her purse. She turned her head, noticing the seats that Andy had pointed out, and made her way over to them.

Andy hand hovered over the radio on her shoulder, but then decided this was a conversation that shouldn't be heard over everyone's radio. Instead, she picked up the phone on the desk, punching in Sam's cell number.

He answered after a few rings. "Swarek here."

"Um, it's Andy," he said in a quiet voice.

"Okay ..." he replied. "Is there a particular reason why you're calling me here, and not on the radio?"

Andy nodded her head, her eyes glancing quickly at where Cindy sat in her chair. "Um, there's someone here to see you."

"You might wanna be a little more specific, McNally," Sam told her.

Andy sighed, dipping her head away from the woman in question. "It's _her_."

There was a long silence, followed by a near-growl from Sam. "What does she want?"

"She's looking for you," Andy relayed.

"We'll, I'm not there," he said. "Just tell her that."

"And if she persists?"

Sam sighed. "Look, I'm not gonna ask you to do something that you're not comfortable with," he relented. "If you need me to come in and tell her to get lost, I will."

Andy pursed her lips, her eyes flickering to the Cindy. "No, I can handle it."

"Are you sure?"

Andy nodded her head. "Yeah, it's fine. I'll give you a call if anything changes."

"Okay," Sam replied. "Well ... thanks."

"No problem," Andy told him, hanging up the phone. She sighed, pushing back from the desk and walking over to the other woman. "Okay, well he's not in the division right now, and he won't be back all day. I can leave him a message, if you'd like?"

Cindy stared up at her in wonder, standing up from her chair. "Well, can't you ask him to come back? I mean, I am his wife, after all. Surely he could be pulled away for an hour or so."

Andy tucked her hands into her belt, staring the woman down with more security than she'd thought she would possess. "Ma'am, I am acquainted with Sam Swarek, and I'm sorry, but I know that you aren't his wife. I also know that he doesn't wish to come into the division to see you, so perhaps it would just be better if you left."

Cindy blinked, sizing Andy up. "What, were you just talking to him?"

Andy nodded.

"Oh, so now he's talking about me behind my back?" Cindy figured with a sneer. "Like he's so superior. And who the hell are you to tell me about my _husband_. A little piece of paper doesn't take away five years of marriage, _missy_. Now, get back on that phone, and tell him to get his ass down here!"

Her raised voice had drawn the attention of a few other cops, as well as some 'civilians' that were mulling about the division.

"Ms. Swarek, I'm afraid I can't do that," Andy informed her. "I would be more than happy to take a message and pass it on to him, but he is working, and does not wish to return to the division. End of story."

"Why, you pompous bitch!" Cindy snapped scathingly. "What, are you fucking my husband?"

Andy's eyes widened at that, actively aware that there were many people listening to the conversation. "No, Ma'am, I am not. I'm just following his suggestions. He doesn't want to see you."

"Bullshit," she replied. "You're a liar. You're just trying to keep me from him! Here's another _suggestion _for you!" With that, she shot forward, her sharpened nails scratching deep across Andy's face.

That was all the damage she managed to do, for after regaining herself, Andy pushed her away, sharply turning her around. She didn't want to do it, but Cindy had attacked her in front of several other officers. She didn't really have a choice. With a sigh, Andy pulled out her handcuffs, securing them on her squirming wrists. "You're under arrest."

Gail offered to book her for Andy, telling her to go clean herself up. Andy was grateful for the privacy, picking up the phone once more. Closing her eyes, she dialed Sam's number once more.

"So, any problems?" he asked as soon as he answered.

"Um ... sort of," Andy admitted.

His sigh came through the phone. "What happened?"

"Well ... I kind of had to arrest her."

...

Sam came back to the station as soon as he was free, sending Chris to get him a cup of coffee. he found Andy at the front desk, her head tucked down as she was going over some papers.

"McNally, what happened?" he asked, his palms pressing down against the edge of the large desk.

She looked up at him, making the annoyed expression fall from his face.

"Jeeze," he commented, seeing the large scratches down one side of her side.

"Oh," she spoke, turning her head a bit so the scratches weren't so obvious. "It looks worse than it is, really," she told him.

Clenching his jaw, Sam told Gail to stay at the desk, pulling Andy away. He led her down a couple hallways until they found an empty interrogation room. He pulled her inside the cop side of the room, so that they wouldn't have any surprise viewers. "She attacked you?" Sam asked, not having gotten the whole story from Andy earlier. She had told him that Cindy had attacked an officer, but she hadn't said that it was her.

Andy shrugged. "I'm fine. She's in a jail cell, but she hasn't been booked yet."

Sam's eyes drifted sideways, thinking.

"It's okay," Andy stated. "I can just leave her sit in there for a while. I don't have to press charges, if you don't want."

Sam shook his head. "I won't make you do that."

"It's fine, really," she said. "I might have been a little too pushy myself."

Sam's hand drifted up to trace the scratches on her face, making Andy shiver at the contact. "Well, whatever you said, I'm pretty sure you didn't ask her to assault you."

Andy was silent, her body focused on the feeling on his hand on her skin.

"I'm sorry."

Now Andy shook her head, looking back up at him. "It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, but I should have been the one to tell her to go away," he rationalized. "Not you."

"Well, either way, it's done with now," Andy responded. "So, when do you want me to release her?"

Sam pursed his lips, glancing at the door beside him as his hand dropped from her face. "Don't."

Andy's brow furrowed, eyeing him in confusion. "You want me to charge her?"

"She assaulted a police officer, Andy ... she assaulted you," he added slowly. "She's had more than enough chances to straighten herself out. I'm done letting her get away with it."

Andy sighed, her heart going out to him. "I'm sorry."

Sam chuckled, looking at her in wonder. "My ex attacked you because of me, and you're the one who's sorry? Jeeze, McNally, you really are one in a million."

She didn't respond to that, her mind reeling as it was.

"Well ... you should probably get back," he told her. "Looks like you have some paperwork to fill out."

Andy nodded her head, not looking forward to charging the woman with assault. "Yeah ... okay."

Sam noticed her hesitancy, holding her back with a hand placed on her upper arm. "Hey ... she's the one in the wrong here, not you."

Andy nodded her head, wondering how she'd gotten wrapped up in this whole thing in the first place ... "Okay. Thanks," she replied, and after a moment of looking into his dark - but warm - eyes, she left the room.

Sam stayed behind for a few minutes, leaning back against the door once it was closed. He wouldn't say it, but he was having trouble detaching himself from the woman ... he just didn't know which woman he was referring to. He had no love for his ex-wife, but at one point, she had mattered more than anything to him. But Andy ... she was new in his life, but had already become such an important fixture in it. Groaning, Sam dropped his head back against the door.

...

_End of chapter four. _

_So, what did you guys think? Like it, hate it? _

_I'm planning on at least one or two more chapters for this story, I don't know if it will be much longer than that. _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	5. Chapter 5

_... _

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Five. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Alrighty, here's chapter five. I think the next chapter will be the last chapter. (Lol, I wrote the first half of this while waiting for the Marianas Trench concert to start last night ... P.S. It was AWESOME!) _

_I'm so glad you guys have been enjoying this story so far, and I've loved reading each and every one of your reviews. _

_This one has a tad bit more humor than the rest, but hopefully it will still mesh with the rest of the story. _

_Alright, that's enough out of me, let's get on with the story! _

_I hope you guys like this one, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Andy eyed her face in the mirror, wincing at the look of the scratches. They didn't hurt anymore, but they still looked sore.

She'd almost felt bad for the woman ... until she tried to tear her face off, that was. Sighing, Andy flicked off the light in the bathroom, and returned to her seat on the living room couch.

_What a day_, she thought, remember having to give her statement when Cindy was officially charged with assaulting a police officer. They'd added a second charge of possession, when a search of her purse had yielded almost a pound of heroine.

Andy bent her knees up to rest her feet on her coffee table, thinking about Sam. She knew that he was having a hard time with all of this, but he was still handling it solo. She had to force herself to respect his wishes, and not rush over to his apartment to try to get him to cry on her shoulder again ... it had worked out so well the first time.

So, she flipped through the channels with the remote control, trying not to think about it.

...

Sam wandered around his apartment, trying to find something to do. Having Cindy in jail was cathartic, almost. He'd seen her in that jail cell, pleading with the other inhabitants for smuggled drugs, and all he could do was walk away. He told himself that he had to let go completely.

It was surprisingly easy to force her out of his mind, once he got thinking about another woman. Andy McNally. She was something else.

Sam sighed, making his way to the kitchen. He thought about grabbing a beer from the fridge, but then changed his mind. He wasn't thirsty. He wasn't hungry, he wasn't tired, he wasn't looking to go out for drinks, he didn't want to watch TV ... he didn't know what he wanted to do.

Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. He had an idea, but he knew it probably wasn't the best idea.

Sam groaned, continuing his pacing, trying not to think about it.

...

_Okay, so I have no self-control_, Andy told herself as she walked to Sam's apartment. _Sue me_. She didn't know if he would even want to see her, or if he would rather be left alone ... but she couldn't help it.

She turned around a couple times, talking herself out of going there, but after a minute she would turn back again.

Eventually, she made it to his apartment, taking a breath before pushing the button for his apartment. She waited a minute for him to respond, but so far she heard nothing. Andy glanced at her watch, doubting that he was asleep already. She pressed the button again, waiting for him to speak into the voice box.

Still nothing. Andy glanced around, looking for his car, but it wasn't there. _He must be out with Jerry or something,_ she reasoned. An image of him on a date with some random girl entered her mind, but Andy automatically pushed it out. The thought of _that_ bugged her more than it should.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Andy turned around and headed home.

...

Sam's fingers gripped the steering wheel as he drove. He'd gone to Andy's place to talk to her about what was going to happen now that Cindy was in jail ... at least, he told himself that was what he was planning on talking to her about.

Whatever the case, it didn't matter - Andy hadn't been home.

He didn't think that she was seeing anyone, but he wasn't exactly her best friend. She didn't talk that much about her personal life, and he didn't ask. He thought that she might be out with her friends at the Black Penny. He much preferred that scenario to the first, and then found himself wondering why. He was her training officer, he shouldn't be thinking of her that way.

Sam almost chuckled at that thought. He did a lot of things that he wasn't supposed to do, having less-than-appropriate thoughts about his rookie didn't exactly top the list.

He turned down the familiar streets, making his way home. It was probably for the best, her not being home. If she had been there, he didn't know how much talking would have happened, and she did tell him that she didn't date cops. He didn't want to take advantage of her while she was trying to help him out.

...

Andy listened to Dov's recount of another fantastic night of pimping his uniform, thinking about the previous night. She tried to tell herself that it was a good thing that he hadn't been home. She didn't want to make him upset again by sticking her nose in where it wasn't wanted. If he wanted to talk, he would come to her.

She was paired with Oliver Shaw that day, but had to go back into the station to talk to Boyko. He wanted to know what had happened to cause Cindy to attack her, and then wanted to know why she'd waited until close to the end of the day to actually charge her with assault.

Andy relayed that she tried to explain to Cindy that Officer Swarek was busy and couldn't return to the division, and the woman had basically freaked out on her. When it came to explaining about not charging her for so long, she paused. She didn't want to make it seem like Swarek expected her to do a favor for him, and she also didn't want it to seem like she was shy of putting people away. In the end, she told Boyko that she wanted to consult with her training officer, and get his advice before proceeding.

Boyko seemed to take that as an answer, and asked her if she was okay.

Andy assured him that she wasn't rattled by the experience, and would be fine. He dismissed her, and after she left the office, she bumped into Sam.

"Hey," he greeted her, looking down at her.

"Hey," she replied, feeling awkward for some reason.

He glanced at the scratches on her cheek before asking, "So, how're you doing?"

Andy shrugged. "Good. You?"

Sam nodded his head a bit excessively. "Yeah ... all good." They stood there for a moment in silence, before Sam finally spoke again. "So ... big plans last night?"

Andy shrugged. "No, I pretty much just stayed in for the night." She didn't want to admit that she'd tried to go to his place to see him.

Sam's eyebrows twitched, almost as though he were about to frown about her.

"How about you?" she wondered. "Lots of fun, out with the boys?"

He thought about asking her why she lied, but instead said, "No, I was housebound myself. Just, uh ... doing some construction stuff."

Andy nodded her head, trying to figure out if he was lying to her, or if he was telling the truth, and just hadn't been able to hear the buzzer. "Sounds fun. What are you making?"

"Kitchen table," he replied, deciding that if he was going to make something up, it might as well be realistic. He'd been wanting a new table for a while now, anyway. _Actually, maybe I should do that ... _

Andy watched as his eyes unfocused a little, noticing that he was lost in thought. "Well, I won't keep you," she told him, stepping to the side so he could walk past her.

"Yeah ... I gotta talk to Boyko anyway," he stated.

"I guess I'll see you later, then," Andy replied, before finally walking past him.

...

Later that evening, Sam twisted his key into the lock of his mailbox, opening it up.

"Hey there, Sam," one of his neighbors greeted.

Sam turned his head to look at the older man. "Hey, Danny. How's things?"

Danny opened his own mail box, pulling out the flyers and envelopes within. "Can't complain."

Sam nodded, turning to head back up to his apartment.

"Hey, you give that girlfriend of yours a key yet?" he wondered, causing Sam to pause.

"Girlfriend?" he wondered, not sure who Danny was talking about.

"Yeah, she stopped by a few days ago, trying to get in," he explained. "Said she was getting your mail while you were away. I let her in for you, but you really oughtta give her a key, son."

After a moment, Sam realized that he was talking about Andy. "Right ... well, thanks. I'll get right on that."

"You know we're not supposed to let people in if they don't live here, or have a key," Danny continued, playing with his keys in one hand. "But she seemed sincere enough. I hope you don't mind?"

Sam shook his head, wondering why Andy had introduced himself as his girlfriend. There were a list of other things she could have said to get into the apartment ... "No, it's okay. Thanks, Dan."

"She was here the other night, too," he continued, causing Sam to turn around once more. "She didn't come in, though. You really should give her a key ... she's a good-looking girl, might not wanna stick around too long if she thinks you don't want her around."

Sam blinked, considering what Danny was telling him. After a moment, he thanked him for unsolicited advice on his love life, before running up the stairs to drop off his mail and grab his car keys. He made his way over to her apartment, thinking about what he was going to say to her when he got there.

...

_End of chapter five. _

_I know, this one was short, but hopefully the next one will make up for it. Like I said, I'm going to end it with the next chapter - but I might do a sequel. _

_So, what did you guys think of this part? Like it, hate it? _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


	6. Chapter 6

_..._

_A Sam/Andy fic. _

_Chapter Six. _

_..._

_Disclaimer: See Ch. 1. _

_..._

_A/N: Alrighty, here's the last chapter. _

_I'm so glad you guys have enjoyed this story so far, your reviews have been so wonderful to read! You're the reason I've been able to get 35 fics up so quickly! HUGE thanks to all my faithful reviewers! _

_Alright, let's get on with the story, shall we? _

_I hope you guys like this, I know I'll love writing it. _

_As always, please read and review, I live for feedback! _

...

Andy was trying to get her mood up, and had resorted to playing perky music while she danced around in her living room. It wasn't a miracle cure, but she was having a good time imagining how foolish she looked.

Her hair was tied up in a sloppy, high ponytail, she had donned an old pair of pajamas - of which the legs had been cut off to make "short shorts" - and sported a pair of pink piggy slippers. A bowl of slowly-melting ice cream sat on the coffee table, which Andy would take a heaping spoonful of whenever she remembered it was there.

Her attempt to cheer herself up was actually succeeding when she heard a knock at the door. "Oh, crap ... the music," Andy mumbled, thinking it was one of the tenants coming to complain. She ran quickly to the stereo, shutting off the music before rushing to the door. "I'm sorry!" she called out while she unlocked the deadbolt and chain. "I didn't realize it was so ..." Andy trailed off, seeing who was outside her apartment. "... loud." It was definitely _not_ one of the other tenants.

Sam took in the sight that he was met with when she'd opened the door. His eyes widened, and he had to close his mouth to stop from bursting out in laughter.

Andy was acutely aware of her state of undress, her good mood immediately evaporating into sheer horror and humiliation. "I - uh - I ... one second," she finally sputtered out, before attempting to close the door in his face.

Sam brought his arm up quickly, stopping her from breaking his view of her dressed like that. "Am I interrupting something?" he wondered, his voice filled with humor.

"Actually, yes," Andy stated, trying to maintain some sense of composure. _Okay, how spastic would I look if I dove for that blanket?_ "How did you get in here?"

Sam grinned. "I have my ways."

She waited less-than-patiently for him to elaborate.

"One of your neighbors let me in. They should really post a sign, or some- Okay, I _just_ noticed the slippers!" he commented, his gaze wandered downwards with a wide smile on his face.

Andy groaned, letting go of the door. "Okay, you know what? This is _my_ apartment. When I am in the 'privacy' of my own home, I can dress however I like!"

"You certainly may."

Deciding that it would be more awkward to wrap a blanket around herself, Andy groped along the back of the door for her bathrobe. She'd left it there a couple days ago when she'd been in a rush to get to work, and hadn't wanted to spill any of her breakfast on her clothes. Under his scrutinizing gaze, Andy slid the robe on, tying it firmly at the waist. "Now, was there a particular reason you came over here?" she wondered.

Sam nodded, stepping into her apartment without an invite, and closed the door behind him. "Yes, actually. Apparently my _girlfriend_ stopped by my apartment the other night. I was just wondered what she was doing there."

"What do you ... oh," Andy replied, realizing that he must have talked to whoever had let her into the building before. "Right, well I ... I didn't mean ..."

Sam smirked at her stuttering. "He also mentioned that you stopped by the other night. I thought you were at home all night?"

Andy crossed her arms over her chest, opening her mouth respond, but she was distracted by another thought. "How's your kitchen table coming along?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, staring her down. After a long couple of moments, he relented. "Alright, fine ... I was here."

Andy blinked at him. "You were _here_?"

Sam nodded. "I stopped by. You weren't here ... I guess you were at my place."

Andy chuckled at that, but then immediately composed herself. "Well ... why were you here?"

Sam shook his head. "You first."

Again, she opened her mouth to tell him, but then thought better of it. "You know what? You interrupted my evening ... you get to answer first."

He considered that, deciding that she was right. "Alright, I just wanted to check up on you ... make sure you were okay after everything that happened." It was mostly true.

Andy nodded her head.

"Your turn," he informed her.

She sighed, uncrossing her arms. "I wanted to ... well, the same," Andy admitted.

After a moment of silence, they both shared a laugh over it. "You know, I think this is why they invented phones," Sam deducted.

Andy nodded her head. "Yeah ... I guess next time we should think of that."

Sam took a daring step forward, his fingers reaching out to toy with the end of her robe tie. "Is there going to be a next time?"

Andy blinked her eyes a few times, looking down at his hand. Everything that she'd been trying to deny to herself came to surface, and she found herself unable to look up into his face. "Perhaps," she spoke in a soft voice.

Sam worried his bottom lip for a moment before he took another step forward, his other hand coming up. His right index finger hooked under her chin, pulling her head up to meet his eyes. When she looked up at him, he took in her expression. He took in everything about her that he could see, and then more. He looked deeper into her than he'd looked into a woman in years. Maybe too long. Maybe just long enough. When she didn't protest, Sam slowly lowered his head, stealing her intake of breath just before his lips met hers.

Andy returned the pressure, but didn't fully respond to the kiss until he tugged lightly at the tie on her robe. Her hands came up to his shoulders, bringing herself up on the tips of her toes to press herself more fully against him.

His hands pulled at her robe from the back, continuing down until it slid all the way off her body.

Andy shivered, telling herself that it was because of the sudden change in temperature ... but she couldn't lie to herself for long. She'd wanted this for so long, she just wouldn't let herself say it. Now, it seemed she didn't have to. Their bodies were doing all the talking.

Sam began to angle her towards the couch, but Andy had other ideas.

She tugged him the other way, leading him to her bedroom. She felt his smile in response, not needing to open her eyes to see those dimples of his.

The trip to the bedroom was slow and purposeful, stopping every few steps to savor on another's kisses. He pressed soft kisses into the curve of her neck while she unbuckled his belt, sliding the leather out of his belt loops.

His shoes were kicked off next, and then Andy helped him remove the dark t-short he wore, baring his well-sculpted chest to her. Sam picked her up off the floor, continuing the rest of the path to her bedroom.

When they made love that night, he wasn't thinking about his ex-wife, and she wasn't thinking about the scratches on her face. They only had eyes - and thoughts - and words, for each other.

...

"So ..." Andy began, her fingers dancing a staccato beat on his chest.

"Hmm?" Sam asked, his arm tucked under her while his thumb skated back and forth across her skin.

"I don't know," she replied, snuggling her cheek against him. "Should we talk, or something?"

Sam smiled lightly, stretching out a bit on the mattress. "I don't know. Should we?"

Andy rolled her eyes, smacking his chest. "You're not helping."

Sam shrugged, tilting his head down to look at her. "Alright ... what do you want to talk about?"

Andy thought for a moment. "Well ... we're kind of not supposed to be doing this. I mean, rookies and their training officers aren't supposed to ..."

Sam nodded his head. "Yeah, there is that."

They were silent for a moment, thinking.

Finally, Sam opened his mouth once more. "I won't tell if you won't."

Andy propped herself up on one elbow, raising her eyebrows at him. "Seriously?"

Sam shrugged again. "Why not?"

Andy shook her head, grinning down at him. "It'll never work."

Sam took his free hand, bringing it up to brush her hair out of her face. "Come on ... we can pull it off. At least until you're off probation."

Andy wanted to argue, wanted to tell him that it was too risky, but then he smiled that annoyingly cute smile of his, and she was gone. She rolled her eyes, falling back onto the bed to kiss his lips.

So much had changed in the last week, some good, some bad. No matter how everything turned out, she would hold onto the good - with both hands. She never would have expected something like this to be so wonderful, but she was willing to take the risk to make it last.

...

_The end. _

_Well, what did you guys think? Like it, hate it? _

_I'm almost sorry to see this story go, it was so much fun to write. _

_Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful. _

_Until next time ...! _


End file.
